Trio

by Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Trio

Overview

Bringing together Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt for the album Trio was a truly inspired idea, and not simply because they were three of the finest voices in country and pop music at the time. While a gifted entertainer, Parton is also a business-savvy professional who will willingly set aside her gifts as a pure country singer if she thinks her audience would rather hear something like "Nine to Five." However, give her a stage for old-school country material, and she will always rise sublimely to the occasion. Similarly, some of Linda Ronstadt's finest work was on her early country-rock albums (especially Heart Like a Wheel), but she seems to operate best with strong collaborators; left to her own devices, she's just as likely to pick wrong-headed material in styles not comfortable to her, but in the right settings her gifts still dazzle. And while Emmylou Harris had as strong a track record as anyone in Nashville in the 1980s, it's obvious she loves to collaborate with others, and sings harmonies with the same rich and affecting beauty that she brings to her headlining gigs. So you take two gifted artists who need proper direction, team them up with an excellent collaborative artist, and the results should fall neatly into place. In truth, that's a formula as likely as not to fail, but on Trio the experiment works brilliantly. The three vocalists display an obvious affinity and respect for one another's talents, inspiring superb performances in one another, and while they all shine in their solo spots, some of the album's most pleasurable moments are when the three harmonize, with their distinct but equally impressive voices melding into a whole that's more than the sum of its parts. Harris, Parton, and Ronstadt also make the most of a set of fine songs (certainly a better program than Parton or Ronstadt had taken on in the studio in a while), and producer George Massenburg lined up a wonderfully subtle and intuitive backing group, with Ry Cooder, David Lindley, and Albert Lee picking gloriously without calling undue attention to themselves. In short, Trio is that rare example of an all-star collaborative effort that truly shows everyone involved to their best advantage, and it ranks with the best of all three headliners' work. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/1990
Label:	Warner Bros.
UPC:	0075992549127

Tracks

1. The Pain of Loving You
2. Making Plans
3. To Know Him Is to Love Him
4. Hobo's Meditation
5. Wildflowers
6. Telling Me Lies
7. My Dear Companion
8. Those Memories of You
9. I've Had Enough
10. Rosewood Casket
11. Farther Along

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Trio   Primary Artist
Linda Ronstadt   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocal Harmony
Emmylou Harris   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocal Harmony,Guitar (Acoustic)
Dolly Parton   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocal Harmony
Albert Lee   Mandolin,Hi String Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Soloist
Kenny Edwards   Bass (Acoustic),Bass (Electric)
Bill Payne   Piano,Harmonium,Organ (Hammond),Piano (Electric)
Ry Cooder   Guitar,Guitar (Tremolo)
Russ Kunkel   Drums
David Lindley   Autoharp,Dulcimer,Harpolek,Mandolin,Kona Guitar,Hawaiian Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic)
John Starling   Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Acoustic)
Leland Sklar   Bass (Acoustic)
Mark O'Connor   Viola,Fiddle,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic)
Marty Krystall   Clarinet
Herb Pedersen   Banjo
Steve Fishell   Dobro,Kona Guitar,Pedal Steel
Dennis Karmazyn   Cello,Soloist
David Campbell   Conductor,Orchestra
Brice Martin   Flute
Jodi Burnett   Cello
Ilene Novog   Viola

Technical Credits

Sharon Rice   Assistant Engineer
Traditional   Composer
Betsy Cook   Composer
Emmylou Harris   Arranger,Performer
Dolly Parton   Composer,Performer,Musical Adaptation
Doug Sax   Mastering,Digital Mastering
Voni Morrison   Composer
John Starling   Arranger,Musical Consultant
Jean Ritchie   Composer
Linda Thompson   Composer
Kate McGarrigle   Composer
Jimmie Rodgers   Composer
Porter Wagoner   Composer
Ray Henderson   Composer
Ron Larson   Design,Artwork
Anna McGarrigle   Composer
Alan O'Bryant   Composer
Herb Pedersen   Arranger,Vocal Arrangement
Linda Ronstadt   Performer
Phil Spector   Composer
Paige Levy   Musician
John Boylan   Digital Remastering
Johnny Russell   Composer
George Massenburg   Engineer,Producer
David Campbell   Orchestration
Robert Blakeman   Photography
Avie Lee Parton   Arranger
Liza Edwards   Production Coordination
Charles Veal   Musician
Kosh   Design,Artwork